Machine



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. GUTMANN. SEWING MACHINE Patented May 28, 1895.

)y/TA/ESSES f MM M/M (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. GUTMA-NN. SEWING MAGgINE.

No. 539,914. Patented May 28, 1895.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

J. GUTMANN.

SEWING MAGHINE Patnted May 28, 1 895;-

1w: Noam: PETERS co PHOTOLITHO WASHINGTON. n. c.

(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. GUTMANN.

SEWING MACHINE.

N0. 539,914. Patented May 28, 1895.

JTToR/i/ YJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIUS GUTMANN, OF BERLIN, I GERMANY.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming pazt of Letters Patent N o. 539,91 l, dated May 28, 1895. Application filed August 25, 1891- Serial Nfo.403,664. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, JULIUS GUTMANN, a subject of the King of Prussia, and a resident of the city of Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Butdirection, for making one edge of the buttonhole, and then it is shifted transversely to the width of the button-hole, and then moved back longitudinally in the opposite direction to the beginning, where the stitches are again beneath the same.

locked, and then the fabric is cut open between the two rows of stitches.

The button-hole produced by my new machine is absolutely straight and remains securely clamped until the button-hole is finished. The fabric travels in the longitudinal direction of the button-hole and at the ends only travels transversely a distance equal to the width of the button-hole, While the needle swipgs as it reciprocates. V

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the mechanism of my improved buttonhole sewing-machine, the supporting arm of the machine being shown in longitudi nal section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the under side of the base-plate of the sewingmachine and the mechanism thereon, parts being broken out and the cam being shown in dotted lines so as not to obscure'the levers Fig. 3 is atop view of the base-plate of the sewing-machine, the supporting-arm being shown in horizontal section. Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the sewingmachine. Fig. 5'is a front end view showing the fabric presser and holder and means for swinging the reciprocating needle. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the thread-tension and mechanism for actuating the same. Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 7 7, Fig. 4. Figs. 8, 9, and'lO are detail views of the cams. Fig. 11 shows a buttonhole made on my machine; and Fig. 12 also shows a buttonhole made on the machine, buthaving an enlargement or eye at one end.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 11 and 12, the fabric 1, in which the button-hole is to be made, is held in a suitable stretching device or frame, which is moved in the direction of the arrow 2, which movement takes place successively, and at each of said movements the cloth is moved in the direction of the arrow 2 a distance 3 corresponding to the width of two stitches, the size of said stitches being adjusted as may be desired. The needle makes a double lockstitch and moves laterally in relation to the length of the button-hole-that is, it first passes through the fabric at 4, then at 5, then at 4, and then at 5, and so on; or, in other words, it alternately passes through the fabric along the outer and inner edges of the stitched part, on each side of the button-hole slit. The

stitches are all approximately at right-aw gles to the longitudinal axis 67 of the button-hole. When by successively moving the cloth 1 in the direction of the arrow 2 the upper side ofthe button-hole has been finished from the point 8 to the point 9 and the needle alternately swings from the points 4 to 5, and every time the needle is swung, the fabric 1 is moved in the direction of the arrow 2 a distance equal to 3. Then a slight movement of the fabric in the direction 10 takes place, and as the needle continues to pass through the fabric, a number of stitches are formed around the end of the bntton hole. After the fabric has been moved a distance 12, which is slightly greater than the length 4 5 of each stitch, then the return movement of the fabric takes place in the direction of.

the arrow 13 from the point 14 to the point,

too

are carried. In order to make the button-l hole in the manner described, it is necessary that the fabric in which the button-hole is to be made be guided absolutely automatically. Further, that the needle must automatically make the stitches parallel with each other; and, finally, that the machine is automatically stopped when the button-hole is finished and can be stopped at any time whenever desired, a brake being provided to suddenly check the further movements of the parts.

In the horizontal part of the main arm A of the sewing-machine the crank-shaft A is journaled and carries at its front end a disk B, provided with the usual cam-groove,in which the roller on the reciprocating needle-bar D passes, so that when the shaft A is rotated the needle-bar will be reciprocated. Directly behind the disk B a collar 0 is fixed on the shaft A, which shaft is provided in its periphery with a cam-groove, and into said groove in the collar 0 a pin passes from the pivoted takeup lover f, whereby the movements of said take-up lever are fully governed.

The crank A of the crank-shaft A is connected by a connecting-rod F with a crank c, on a shaft a journaled on the under side of the base-plate U and provided on the end opposite the one having the crank c with a fork b, which serves for operating the shuttle. In place of the shuttle mechanism any other device for locking the stitches can be used, and any other device can be used for producing the stitches.

The end-plate d in which the needle-bar D is reciprocated is pivoted at the point e to the head on the end of the main arm A and is connected by an adjusting-screw g with a rod h, the upper end of which is pivoted at 11 to the head on the end of the main arm A. A cam-disk 7r rests against the edge of the bar it and is keyed upon one end of a shaft Z I mounted in the main arm A, so that when said shaft Z is rotated the plate d and the reciprocating needle-bar D together swing on" the pivot e of said plate. The cam-disk makes a single rotation during the time that the shaftA makes two rotations, and the said disk is is so mounted that when the point of its longest diameter rests against the bar h a stitch is made by the needle and another stitch is made when the part of its shortest diameter rests against the bar h, and so on. In all cases two stitches are made for each rotation of the shaft 1 and cam 7c. The crankshaft A is driven by a belt, shown in dotted lines and passed over the fixed belt-pulley S adjacent to the fly-wheel H whichfly-wheel serves also as a hand-wheel for starting and stopping the machine and as a wheel upon which the brake-lever can act. Adjacent to the fixed belt-pulley S the loose pulley S is mounted on the shaft A, and between said loose pulley S and the endof the main arm A are mounted the cog-Wheels Z and Z, of which the latter is fixed on the shaft A and the former keyed on that end of the shaft Z opposite the one carrying the cam-disk is. As the shaft Z must rotate half as fast as the shaft A, for the reasons above given, the diameters of the wheels Z and Z are as one is to two. The belt-shifter F is pivoted by a pivot n to a lug F of the main arm A of the machine, and by means of' said belt-shifter the belt is either shifted upon the pulley S or S. The driving-belt which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 runs over the pulley on an adjacent shaft operated by suitable transmitting devices from a motor or driven by means of the usual pedals and connectingrod. In lateral projections of the belt-shifter a wheelR is mounted, that rests against the inclined cam N of a lever Q pivoted to a lug Q of the base-plate U. Whenever the beltshifter F guides the belt upon the fixed pulley S the roller R, acting on the inclined cam N, presses the lever Q outward; but when the belt-shifter shifts the belt upon the loose pulley S and the machine is to be stopped, the roller R slides 0% the inclined cam 12 and permits the spring V connected with the fixed part of the machine frame and with the lever Q to press the upper curved brake-shoe part Q of said lever Q against the rim of the handwheel H thus stopping the rotation of the shaft A very promptly and rapidly. As soon as the machine is again started and the beltshifting lever F is moved so as to guide the belt upon the driving-pulley S the roller R again acts on the inclined cam N and presses the lever Q and the brake-shoe part Q of the same from the pulley H The belt-shifting lever F is provided at its lower end with a fork m engaging a pin at one end of a bar L, guided to slide longitudinally on the under side of the base-plate U, that end of the bar L opposite the one connected with the beltshifting lever being surrounded by a spring V bearing against a fixed guide on the under side of the base-plate and against a collar on said bar L. A lever H is pivoted on a lug I 1 of the base-plate U, and the lower forked end H of said lever I-I engages a pin H projecting from a piece fastened on said bar L, so that by means of said lever H said bar L can be moved in the direction of its length and the belt-shifter operated. Said bar L is provided on.one edge with a tooth or projection 29, that can be engaged by the tooth t of an angle-latch t, pivoted on the under side of the base-plate U-a'nd provided with an arm T projecting upward through a notch in the edge of the base-plate U. A spring acts on the angle-latch t and keeps the tooth t of the same engaged with the projection t on the bar L. When the tooth t of the angle-latch t and the teeth or projections on the sliding-bar L are engaged, as shown in Fig."2, the spring V is compressed and the belt runs over the fixed pulley S. If now the upwardly-projecting part T of the anglelatch t is pulled out, the teeth t and t are disengaged, and'the spring IIO h V expands and presses the bar L in the direc H acting on said lever.

tion of the arrow VIII, whereby the belt-shifting lever F is moved in such a manner as to shift the belt from the fixed pulley S upon the loose pulley S. When the machineis to be started again, the lever H is moved in such a manner as to move the bar L in the inverse direction of the arrow VIII, and said bar is then again locked in place by the angle-latch t.

The cog-wheel Z on the shaft Z is provided on one side with a cam s that can act on the lever Y, pivoted at n, Fig. 4, to a projection of the arm A which lever Y is provided at its lower end with a form m, the shanks of which embrace a pin m projecting from the end of the L-shaped bar L guided on the under side of the base-plate U. The front end of the bar L is connected with an anglelever 'r' 'r', pivoted at r tothe under side of the base-plate U, which angle-lever 1' 1" can be adjusted on the end of the bar Lby means of the thumb-screw T The free end of the arm of the angle-lever T1" is provided with a pin r that rests against a pawl i pivoted to the end of the sliding-bar L The tooth t? of the pawl t is adapted to engage the teeth of a ratchet-wheel M, mounted to turn on the under side of the base-plate U, so that when the bar L is moved toward the right, that is, in the direction of the arrow VIII, for the purpose of stopping the machine, the anglelever is turned in the direction of the arrow I, Fig. 2, and the pin r moves the pawl 15 and cates the bar L said spring L serving to draw the bar L in the direction of the arrow II and to keep the roller Y on'the upper end of the lever Y pressed against the cog-wheel Z and cam s. It thus follows that for each rotation of the cog-wheel Z the bar L and pawl t are reciprocated and the ratchet-wheel M is rotated a distance equal to a number of teeth.

On the upper face of the ratchet-wheel M a cam O is formed, against which one end of the lever H pivoted at H to the under side of the base-plate U, is pressed by the spring The pin I1 on that end of the lever H opposite the one resting against the cam 0' passes through an inclined slot H in the base-plate U and into the longitudinal slot S of the fabric-holding plate S Said fabric-holding plate S is movable transversely, that is, at right-angles to the length of the button-hole being formed, and ismounted between the guides S and S of the frame S of the fabric-holder, said frame being mounted movable in the direction of the length of the button-hole. The lever H serves to shift the fabric-holder in the direcmade and the length of the stitch.

The lever H is mounted to turn on a pin H on the under side of the base-plate U and is provided with a stop-lug H, by means of which lever the throw of the lever H provided by the spring H can be checked and thus the distance that the fabric-holding plate S is shifted transversely controlled. By a proper adjustment of the lever II the width of the button-hole can be regulated, as the cam O on the ratchet-wheel M is constructed for the greatest possible width of the buttonhole. The ratchet-wheel M is also provided with a cam-groove C ,into which a pin 0 passes, that projects from one end of a lever O pivoted at 0 on the under side of the baseplate. Upon said lever 0 an adjustable piece S is secured, to whichthe connecting-rod Q is pivoted at q. From the free end of the connecting-rod Q a pin q passes through a longitudinal slot g in the base-plate U, and through a transverse slot g of the fabricframe S so that when said lever O swings it serves to move the fabricframe S and fabricholder S in thedirection of the length of the button-hole to be made. In order to permit of such movements,-the slots g and g are arranged at right-angles to each other. By means of the thumb-sorewf passing through the longitudinal slotf of the piecefi the connecting-rod Q can be adjusted as may be desired and the throw of said connecting-rod increased or decreased as may be necessary. The throw or strokeof the reciprocating bar L is adjusted by means of the adjustable wedge-shaped piece U pivoted on the end of the lever U mounted to turn on the pivot-U on the under side of the base-plate U, said wedge-shaped piece being guided by the guide U on the under side of the base-plate. The lower end of the lever Y strikes against the Wedge-shaped piece U and can makea greater or less stroke, as it strikes said wedge-shaped piece a greater or less distance from the end of the same. By means of said wedge-shaped piece the number of stitches that are required for the button-hole can be increased or decreased. j

The fabric-holder S is provided'with a fabric-clamp X having a longitudinal opening X, Within which the needle reciprocates and swings laterally. Said fabric-clamp is pivoted at g to a lug on the top of the baseplate andis provided with an arm X that is pressed upward by the'helical spring X surrounding a rod X provided at its upper end with a suitable thumb-nut X, by which the tension of the spring can be adjusted according to the thickness of the fabric. The vrod X passes through an aperture in the base-plate and is connected at its lower end with one end of a lever X which at- X is pivoted to the under side of the base-plate and is provided with an eye X ,interm ediately of its ends; The lever X is pivoted to the base plate by any suitable pivot or hinge, but as shown is encircled bya sleeve, said sleeve being pivoted to swing between two arms or supports so-as to adapt said lever to swing up and down. A cord or wire X is fastened,to said eye X and is connected with a foot-lever P. By depressing the foot-lever P the rod X is pulled downward and the fabric-clamp X is raised to permit of inserting or removing the fabric. Above the fabric-clamp the knife W for cutting open the button-hole is arrrnged, and the same is provided with an arm W having a handle W, on which latter a spring W acts in such a manner as to normally keep the knife in raised position. The axis W of the knife and handle is adjusted between two "screws W W on the plate U, so as to permit of adjusting the knife as may be necessary. By means of the handle W the knife W is pressed upon the fabric between the two rows of stitches of the button-hole to cut through the fabric.

For the purpose of automatically stopping the machine when a button-hole is finished, the ratchet-wheel M is provided with the pin M, which, as the ratchet-wheel rotates in the direction of the arrow IV, Fig. 2, strikes against the angle-latch t and disengages the tooth t of the same from the tooth or projection 25 on the sliding-bar L, thus permitting the spring V to act and to throw the mechanism out of gear. A spring M on the pivot of the ratchet-wheel M bears against the under side of the said ratchet-wheel and prevents the latter from rotating too freely on its pivot. A handle M projecting downward from the ratchet-wheel M permits the adjusting of said ratchet-wheel by the handle, as may be necessary.

WVhen a button-hole is to be made the fabric-frame S is brought into the extreme position to the right from the operator, so that it can move in the direction of the arrows V and VI. When the machine is started the button-hole is first stitched on the side 8, Fig. 11. Every time the driving-shaft makes two revolutions the shaft Z makes one revolution, and two stitches are formed during the time that the fabric remains perfectly at rest. After said two stitches have been made the action of the cam s of the wheel Z upon the lever Y and rod L and of the tooth t of the pawl 25 upon the ratchet-wheel causes said ratchet-wheel to be turned a distance equal to a greater or less number of teeth, in the direction of the arrow IV. "The number of teeth caught each time by the tooth t depends upon the adjustment of the wedgeshaped stop U. After one side of the edge of the button-hole has been finished the part i G of the cam 0' begins to act, and by means of the lever I-I shifts the fabric-holder a distance corresponding to the adjustment of the lever H Thereby the fabric is shifted a distance slightly greater than the width of the button-hole, and a cam-groove 0 now causes the fabric-frame and fabric-holder to be moved in the direction of the arrow VII, and now the stitches 14 to 15 are produced. When the button-hole is finished the part 0 of the cam C is adjacent to the end of the lever H and the pin M strikes the latch 15 and disengages the same from the bar L, whereby the machine is stopped. When the cam parts 0 and C act on the roller H a displacement of the stitches takes place, and as during this time the fabric is not being moved forward in the direction of the length of the buttonhole, the stitches cross each other and lock the threads at the end of the button-hole.

In case larger button-holes are to made, the leverage of the adjustable piece S is increased for the purpose of giving the connecting-rod Q a greater stroke. In case the width of the stitch is to be changed, the screw 9 is changed correspondingly on the plate d. In case the width of the button-hole is to be decreased, the lever B is so adjusted that the stroke of the lever H is decreased. If the number of stitches in the button-hole are to be increased, the wedge-shaped slide U is so adjusted that the pawl-tooth t grasps a less number of teeth of the ratchet cam-wheel M at each stroke.

A thread tension K, Figs. 1 and 6, is connected with the rod K, the opposite end of which is acted upon by a cam-groove d in a cam-disk d mounted on the main shaft A, so that every time a stitch is made the thread is loosened correspondingly. If by means of the above described machine button-holes are to be made that are provided at the end with an eye 18, (Fig 2,) the cam-piece C is removed from the ratchet-wheel M and replaced by the cam-piece G which acts on the lever H in such a manner that the fabric-holder first moves backward and then forward.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In abutton hole sewing machine, the combination, with a needle, mechanism for operating the same, a fabric holding frame, anda fabric holder on said frame, of a cam wheel provided with ratchet teeth, levers operated by said cam wheel and adapted to move said fabric holding frame and fabric holder, the former longitudinally of the other and the latter transversely of the former, a reciproeating bar having a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet teeth, a cam wheel driven from the main shaft of the machine and adapted to operate said reciprocating bar, an additional reciprocating bar, an angle lever operated by the latter, and a pin on the angle lever adapted to throw off said pawl from the ratchet teeth when desired, substantially as described.

2. In a button hole sewing machine, the com IIO bination with a needle and'mechanism for op erating the same, a cam wheel provided with ratchet teeth on its edge, a reciprocating bar, a rocking lever pivoted at its lower end to said bar, mechanism for operating said lever and the bar from the driving mechanism of the machine, a pawl on said bar for engaging the ratchet teeth and rotating the cam wheel, a spring actuated trip device for throwing off the pawl from the ratchet teeth, and an adj nstable wedge shaped stop against which said lever impinges for limiting the stroke of said reciprocating bar, substantially as described. 10

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS GUTMANN. Witnesses:

'W. BINDEWALD, PAUL FISCHER. 

